Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) on Monday said Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) should address his constituents and explain whether he'll be able to work as a member of the House next year.

"With the election over, there are big issues coming up in the lame-duck session," Emanuel said, according to NBC Chicago. "I think Congressman Jackson, it's incumbent upon him to have a conversation with his constituents about his intentions."

Emanuel's remarks come after reports last weekend said that Jackson is negotiating a plea deal that would require him to resign from Congress and possibly spend time in jail.

The congressman is under investigation by the Justice Department and FBI for illegally using campaign funds to decorate his home and buy a $40,000 watch for a female friend, according to CBS Chicago.

The plea deal reportedly would allow Jackson to resign for health reasons and force him to repay the campaign money that he used for personal reasons.

Jackson has been missing from Capitol Hill since June, when he reportedly left to be treated for bipolar disorder. He returned to Washington for a short time in October, before being readmitted to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, where he is receiving treatment.

Jackson won reelection easily last week, by a 63-to-23 percent margin, despite not campaigning.

“Why can’t he represent his peoples from behind bars? He’s been doing it from the clinic.”

I agree, I’d much rather have him keep his seat until January 2015. He was, after all, elected, and you can’t overrule the will of the voters, now can you? And it will be just a happy coincidence that his “NOT VOTED” on every single measure before the House will provide the best voting record we could possibly get from that über-Democrat CD.

If Rep. Jackson quits, which Republican should run, in the special election? The Kankakee Co. part of his district probably has some conservative county officials, township officials, and mayors. I don’t expect the Republican to win, but he or she should try to get at least 1/3 of the vote. That would help him or her, in a future election.

>> I agree, Id much rather have him keep his seat until January 2015. He was, after all, elected, and you cant overrule the will of the voters, now can you? And it will be just a happy coincidence that his NOT VOTED on every single measure before the House will provide the best voting record we could possibly get from that über-Democrat CD. <<

Ditto. If he resigns, another marxist black Democrat will swiftly take his place and rubber-stamp Obama's agenda. The ideal scenario is Jackson REFUSES to resign and the seat stays vacant for the next two years (I doubt the House would even have the guts to expel him). Jackson's voters re-elected him for two years, they deserve him. It speaks volumes that all this, the "conservative" Chicago Tribune STILL wouldn't endorse his Republican opponent in 2010 or 2012.

>> If Rep. Jackson quits, which Republican should run, in the special election? The Kankakee Co. part of his district probably has some conservative county officials, township officials, and mayors. I dont expect the Republican to win, but he or she should try to get at least 1/3 of the vote. That would help him or her, in a future election. John Arrington is a black conservative, who has been a Harvey alderman. Hed be a good candidate. Since he ran for the U.S. Senate, he has high name recognition. Ill email him and ask him to run. <<

Aside from the fact the district is gerrymandered to be safe RAT (so 2 out of 3 counties in that district get NO representation in government no matter how heavily they vote against Jackson), you have the problem that any Republican who runs is viewed as the sacrifical lamb and gets zero support from the state or national party to run a credible campaign. It's amazing we even get decent candidates to volunteer to run considering they have to spend tons of their own money trying to stay afloat in super RAT district and campaign throughout the whole district. Here's what Jackson's latest opponent, Brian Woodworth, had to safe on facebook earlier this week:

Brian Woodworth Gary, I'd need to see the establishment step up and do some supporting. Campaigning in Cook is hard enough without the party telling everyone, including the usual contributors, it's impossible. The republican support for my race was ridiculous.

Phil's right, Arrington would be the ideal candidate, at least on paper. Black conservative Republican, 8 years as Harvey city councilman (a suburb that is about 80% black), chaired the economic development commission, Master's degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

The problem is where he'd get the $$$ to run a viable campaign. Issac Hayes (gotta love the name) was the first Republican in decades to run a high profile campaign in that district back in 2010, and it STILL voted overwhelming for JJJ. There are too many brain dead voters in that district who would vote against Jesus himself if he ran with an "R" next to his name.

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